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Thursday, 11 April 2013

ROI from sales networking - Stacking up sales from networking events

Aleksandr Orlov freeloading at the Business Biscotti event at
Gloucester Road Casino, London
He networks everywhere !

We had
a really good time at the South West London Business Biscotti meeting April 10th .

We celebrated its first year so now it's onwards and upwards to its second year of being ( hence the modified card see photo left).

Not only were there Biscotti biscuits with the coffee and refreshments but a lovely slice of Birthday cake for members attending at the Gloucester Road Casino !

Talking with a number of fellow Biscottiers it was interesting
to find out how they use such networking clubs to help develop their businesses.

I'm sure you attend several networking events, the same
as I do and find that you can spend a great deal of time with people who don't necessarily
operate in the same business space that you do.

The skill is to find the right events to attend; although
this sounds obvious, it isn't easy there
are no instant results.

We meet several people and collect a lot of business
cards.

What is the best next step ?

I have adapted and developed a system for following up which is
comprehensive and you probably do some of it anyway.

This is simply a structured way you might find works for you also.

As with many business clubs you get out of it what you
put into it.

Some of the folk I met Business Biscotti were experienced
net workers ( dare I say serial networkers) ,one or two were new to the whole process of networking and it got me to
think about how fellow sales professionals follow up networking events but also with following up
exhibition stand visitors and seminars etc. - so I share these with you.

I have a adapted a process from the classic "Get Clients Now!"™ by C.J.
Hayden but also updated with social media approaches etc focused more for the
UK market.

Prototype for my Nifty Networking ROI tool

The approach is to sort out your leads in various stacks
e.g. Prospects which you grade into hot, warm and cold leads. Another stack consists of
cards with which you can see no direct link. The actions just prompts you by asking what can you do for them as a fellow
net worker? Experienced and effective net workers will also act as active sites for others to connect as well.Hard sell pitching turns most people off at such events.Often the universality of the norm of reciprocity * (see below) repays your kindness and they help you connect with the people you would like to meet. We feel obligated to repay others what we have received from them. The norm drives us towards fairness in our everyday social interaction, our business dealings and our close relationships, and it helps build trust with othersAnd then a stack for directly useful contacts to be split between
leads to clients and marketing opportunities.

Cards sorted out for action using the nifty
networking ROI tool prototype

I have made an A4 landscape version of the flow chart which
makes for a useful administration tool as the various boxes are about the same
size as a business card.

I am trialing a prototype with fellow biscottiers and
getting their feedback for the final version.

If you would like to try out one, Nina Tujak ambassador at
Business Biscotti South West London has a pdf version or you can get one from me. ( I need to learn how to place a download button of a pdf on Blogger any help on this would be appreciated in the cooments box)

I have nicknamed it the nifty networking ROI
tool

Further reading * Norm of reciprocity - Ch 9 of Yes by Golstein, Martin and Cialdini ISBN 978-184668-016-8www.profilebooks.com also Regan Coke can study by D.Regan 1971 'Effects of a favour and liking on compliance' Journal of Experimental Social psychology 7:627-39Since social epidemics have a role to play in networking a re-reading of the Tipping Point- by Malcolm Gladwell ISBN 0-349-11346-7 especially Ch 2 The law of the few Connectors, Mavens and Salesmen p30 -88 is worth it www.twbg.co.ukRelated LinksBusiness Biscotti

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About Me

I have been a training consultant for 30 years.
I also research Buyers Views of Sales people for an ongoing research study I have done for the last twelve years
The majority of photographs, videos and audios in this blog are taken on my new Fujifilm Fine pix T from May 2012 The Pencil Sketches are mine also